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LeBron scores 29, Williams hits for 27 as 76ers' rally fails
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Dec 11, 2008
PHILADELPHIA: The Cavaliers have led a charmed life in the early part of the season.
No unwarranted chatter — unless you want to count the noise from the New York media. Complete team harmony.
And more important, there had been no injuries.
Notice the past tense.
With Daniel ''Boobie'' Gibson, a key cog in the machine that is the Cavs' offense, out for two weeks with a sprained left toe, the team arrived in Philadelphia to play the 76ers in an unfamiliar position — facing adversity.
The key to Wednesday's meeting: How would they respond?
Given that they beat the 76ers 101-93, they met the challenge for now and won their 10th consecutive game.
At one point in the third quarter, the Cavs held a 21-point advantage only to watch much of it slip away.
The scrappy Sixers pecked and pecked until they came within six points at 95-89.
These are the moments, however, when good teams are supposed to step up and answer the call.
That's what the Cavs did.
Point guard Mo Williams proved to be up to the task, making a pivotal shot with 1:40 on the clock and his team ahead by only six.
On the Cavs' next possession, LeBron James took
a wild shot and Ben Wallace followed the miss with a thunderous follow-up dunk.
It should not have had to come to this for the Cavs, given the commanding lead they held.
''Offensively, he does a nice job because he has a terrific feel for our team, our personnel and what I want,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said about Williams. ''He does a nice job running our ballclub. He's a guy who can put the ball in the hole, and he did that some tonight, which is what we really needed.''
The Cavs went into the locker room at halftime leading by a two-point margin: 48-46.
Credit the Sixers for not yielding to the Cavs.
Of note: Andre Iguodala's 21 points in the half. Even as the Cavs showed signs of breaking things open toward the end of the half, leading 46-37, the Sixers went on a 9-2 run, leaving the Cavs to march into the locker room with something to think about.
They responded in the third quarter, going on a 9-0 run with four different players scoring, opening a 60-48 lead, looking to put the game away.
The 76ers had other things to say about that, although the Cavs at one point enjoyed a 21-point lead near the end of the third quarter.
There are, however, four quarters in a basketball game, and the 76ers, after an injury at 9:39 of the fourth to Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, were all too willing to rally, scoring nine points in a row to cut what looked like an impervious Cavs lead to 88-79.
James said the Cavs missed Ilgauskas' presence.
''One thing we don't want to be hit with is the injury bug,'' James said. ''Because we're playing so well, we've got everything in place, that's the worst thing that could happen to our team right now.''
Ilgauskas left the game with 9:39 left in the fourth quarter with a left ankle sprain that the team immediately began treating with ice. Subsequent X-rays were negative, and he will be re-evaluated today.
With the Cavs needing other players to step up for the injured Gibson and later Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao came to the rescue.
Varejao delivered 15 points and eight rebounds.
But Williams showed that he was a money player, giving the Cavs a season-high 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting.
James led all scorers with 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting.
The Cavs are one win shy of tying the franchise record of 11 consecutive wins set during the 1988-89 season.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net Read the Cavs blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/
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PHILADELPHIA: The Cavaliers have led a charmed life in the early part of the season.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Alliance, Oh
Posted 06:57 AM, 12/11/2008
Finally, a team in Cleveland that is fun to watch! They MAY have a chance to take it all this year. They'll have to be hot at the right time, just like football and baseball teams have to do in the playoffs!
Barberton, OH
Posted 08:15 AM, 12/11/2008
I hope Z can come back soon, and Boobie can hopefully come back a few days sooner than the two week timetable they've set. We can't count on Ben and Andy to give us enough to replace Z full time for a couple weeks. They're great energy and defense off the bench, but I'd be scared if either had to play significant minutes for a while. I suppose it's good to have such a cushion in the win column, but I'd be dissapointed if we went .500 over the next two weeks.
Posted 10:58 AM, 12/11/2008
I hope Big Z and Gibson come sooner rather than later. I do think that we will be alright maybe JJ Hickson can get a litle more playing time. I really think he will surprise everyone with what he has to offer as a power forward/ rebounder, scorer and defense (shot blocking).....
Barberton, OH
Posted 01:49 PM, 12/11/2008
JJ is foul prone though, so I can't see his minutes increasing too much, but he could see more time earlier in the game, like perhaps the 1st quarter, and late second half like usual.
Posted 03:24 PM, 12/11/2008
i expect to see more of jackson than hickson; he played team defense at kansas for four years - and that's what mike brown will want most. V will probably get more of Z's minutes, while jackson could come in for big ben. or we could see wally in more of that 4 when it's not a big mismatch for him.
